Universal College Lanka (UCL) held its very first scholarship awards ceremony recently to recognise and felicitate deserving students who have excelled in the spheres of academia, sports and leadership at school level or achieved outstanding results in the UCL Foundation programmes. The Chief Guest, Director, UCL and Chairman of the Gateway Group of Organisations, Dr. Harsha Alles along with the CEO, UCL Mr. Gihan Silva, COO, UCL Ms. Nishani De Silva, Dean of Academic Affairs, UCL, Dr. Dhananjay Kulkarni and other distinguished guests including Warden, S. Thomas’ College, Rev. Marc Billimoria and Principal, Colombo South International, Mr. Richmond Suraweera, graced this event. A total of 47 UCL scholarships were awarded in 2018.

The recipients represented the Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY), Monash College Diploma (MCD) and University of Lancashire (UCLan) Degree programmes. The combined value of the scholarships awarded by UCL since its inception in 2016 is over LKR. 21 million; a significant percentage of UCL’s tuition fees. This scholarship initiative is in keeping with the vision of UCL’s founders, Mr. Bob Kundanmal, Dr. Harsha Alles and Mr. Zarif Munir, who established UCL to make the very best in international tertiary education accessible to the youth of Sri Lanka. UCL is committed to providing tertiary education of the highest quality and has garnered a proven track record of academic excellence in the past three years. These scholarships are considered a ‘mutual investment’ whereby students of the highest calibre will be attracted to UCL, encouraged to maintain the high standards the college has become known for, and reach their full potential. “Next to Excellence is the Appreciation of it!” William Makepeace Thackeray

The Scholarships Awarded

The MERIT Scholarship - awarded to students who have an outstanding academic performance at School level or UCL Foundation Year. The SPORTS Scholarship - awarded to students who have an outstanding record in sports at National or School level. The LEADERSHIP Scholarship - awarded to students who have played a leadership role, such as Deputy/Head Prefects at School level or as Presidential Scouts.

What Our Scholars Say…………….

Merit Scholarship Award Winners

Monash University Foundation Year

Udara Sithumini Perera, Monash University Foundation Year Programme, Destination Degree- Bachelor of Nursing (Past Pupil of Jennings International College) It is a great privilege to be able to study at UCL since it is an organization that delivers internationally recognized degrees from universities such as Monash which is ranked in the world top one hundred and is part of the prestigious Group of Eight universities in Australia. And, I consider it a greater honour to be awarded a scholarship which enables me to pursue my dreams and goals for a secure academic future.

Monash College Diploma

Ravisha Wellappuli, Bachelor of Business, Monash College Diploma Prorgramme (Past Pupil of Devi Balika Vidyalaya)

It was my ambition to join a top 100 globally recognized university, and UCL offered me the opportunity to fulfil this ambition by providing a pathway option to Monash University. UCL’s pathway programme paved the way for me to get accustomed to university life and excel in my studies. Choosing UCL for my higher studies has been one of the best decisions I have made and it has enabled me to pursue my long established academic and career goals with absolute confidence! I was able to obtain a scholarship for Monash University Foundation Year from UCL. The scholarship was a source of motivation for me to engage in my studies consistently. It inspired me to achieve and maintain good grades from the outset for all the subjects. I believe that the scholarship motivated me to excel academically and contributed to my five Monash College Global Awards of Excellence!

Chrimesh Perera, Bachelor of Business, Monash College Diploma Programme (Past Pupil of S. Peter’s College – Basketball Captain and President Interact Club)

Having obtained 3As for my A/Level, I was keen to pursue a degree that would be both challenging and enable me to further enhance my skills set. The main reason I joined UCL was because it was a well-recognized pathway to Monash University which is in the top 100 universities in the world. I have gained an immense amount of knowledge from all the subjects I’m learning at UCL. Furthermore, UCL has enabled me to balance studies with the many other extracurricular activities I am privileged to engage in at UCL. This scholarship means the world to me as it makes me feel that all my hard work in studying for my A/levels has paid off and helps me relieve the burden on my parents. Shaveen Ilapperuma, Bachelor of Business, Monash College Diploma Programme (Past Pupil of S. Peter’s College) Being a past pupil of S. Peter’s College and having garnered 2A*s and 2A’s at my A/L’s, I was searching for a good university to start up my bachelor’s degree. That’s when I joined UCL in June 2018. This has been one of the best decisions I’ve made, as UCL has become not just a college, but a home away from home. The lecturers are exemplary, and the hospitality of the entire staff is something that one always look forward to. And, having received a merit scholarship, I am delighted by the fact that I was able to give back to my parents a small reward for the huge investment they have made on my behalf. It’s my greatest pleasure to recommend UCL to anyone who’s looking for a head start to study in Australia or UK.

Sports Scholarship Award Winners

MUFY
Patricia Hassim, Monash Foundation Year Programme - Destination Degree, Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine (Past Pupil of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda)

My experience at UCL has been a fruitful and memorable one. UCL is indeed an institution that maintains international standards and provides Sri Lankan students the opportunity to achieve their dreams. I count it a privilege to have been awarded a scholarship which has enabled me to embark on my academic journey and brought me one step closer to realizing my dream of becoming a doctor.

MCD
Shannon Perera, Bachelor of Commerce, Monash College Diploma Programme (Past Pupil of Ladies’ College)

What lured me to join UCL would be the constant positive feedback about its excellent education facilities and eventful student life experience. Getting this scholarship meant I got a chance to make my dreams come true, whilst learning that hard work always pays off.

Crystal Kuthoor, Bachelor of Business, Monash College Diploma Programme (Past Pupil of The British School in Colombo)

UCL is experiencing university in the comfort of your own home. It provides a guaranteed place at one of the best universities in the world. With the efforts of the dedicated teachers at UCL and a lot of hard work, you will get to where you want to be. Receiving a scholarship means dreams are made affordable to those who deserve it. It means all the hard work put into everything is appreciated and encourages one to do better, to do more and try and keep aiming higher.

Leadership Scholarship Award Winners

MUFY
Deshika Wickramanayake, Monash University Foundation Year Programme, Destination Degree- Bachelor of International Business and Commerce, (Former Head Prefect of Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha)

The reason why I chose UCL to continue my higher education is because I always dreamt of studying in a top ranked university such as Monash University and UCL was the ideal pathway to fulfill my dream. Being offered a scholarship is a privilege to me because it gives me an assurance that hard work pays off. 

MCD 
Dion Dias, Bachelor of Business and Commerce, Monash College Diploma (Former Head Prefect and Triple Coloursman of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia) 

“I consider it an absolute privilege to be granted an opportunity to study at an internationally recognized institution right here on the shores of Sri Lanka. To be awarded a scholarship is an even greater privilege and honour as it enables me to make my academic dreams a reality with the guarantee of a secure future. I have been able to continue my sports at UCL and had the distinction of captaining the UCL Football Team.”

About UCL

Universal College Lanka (UCL) holds the unique distinction of being the only institute in Sri Lanka and the SAARC region which offers the opportunity to its treasured youth to pursue their educational dreams in a world’s Top 100 University, by providing a guaranteed pathway from the foundation programme to the prestigious Monash University through its exclusive partnership. UCL has an uncompromising commitment to achieve, maintain and offer the most stringent international standards and highest quality of higher education in Sri Lanka. UCL plays a key role in this important period of the life of a student in their transition from secondary to tertiary level education by nurturing, moulding and preparing them to excel in a world class university.

We possess a highly qualified and competent faculty among the private tertiary education institutes in the country, enabling us to achieve academic excellence and offering our students a superior learning experience in a caring environment. In the short span of our existence, we are proud to have consistently produced as many as 95 World Toppers in both course level and unit level by outperforming other Monash partners internationally. Our campus is conveniently situated in the capital city in a picturesque location bordering the historical Diyawanna Lake offering panoramic views of the surrounding tranquil environment and central business district’s skyscrapers at a distance. Within its premises, we offer state of the art facilities such as internationally recommended classroom sizes for greater student interaction and engagement, modern laboratories, well equipped library and comfortable study areas and our unique rooftop lounge for leisure and recreation of our students.

We also organize and conduct both indoor and outdoor events and activities to develop student engagement and enhance the student experience at UCL. Please feel free to visit the state-of-the-art UCL Campus at No. 503, Sri Jayewardenepura Mawatha, Sri Jayewardenepura or call UCL on 0774 777 000 to know how you can begin your Monash Journey in Sri Lanka. Follow UCL on Instagram (ucl_srilanka), Facebook (Universal College Lanka – Transfer Division) or YouTube Channel (UCL Sri Lanka) for more updates about Life at UCL